Tag Archive for Rags

FERGIE TO RETIRE AT END OF SEASON

Great news today that Fergie will retire at the end of the season.

Watch all the rats jump off the sinking ship!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22447018

Sir Alex Ferguson will step down as Manchester United manager at the end of the season after 26 years in charge.

The Scot, 71, has won 38 trophies since taking over from Ron Atkinson on 6 November 1986, including this season’s Premier League title.

His haul includes 13 titles, two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups and four League Cups.

“The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about. It is the right time,” Ferguson said.

“It was important to me to leave an organisation in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so.

“The quality of this league winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one.”

Ferguson, who will take on the dual role of director and ambassador for United, praised the people he felt helped him build the club into one of the biggest in the world.

“I must pay tribute to my family, their love and support has been essential,” he added.

“My wife Cathy has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.

“As for my players and staff, past and present, I would like to thank them all for a staggering level of professional conduct and dedication that has helped to deliver so many memorable triumphs. Without their contribution the history of this great club would not be as rich.

“In my early years, the backing of the board, and Sir Bobby Charlton in particular, gave me the confidence and time to build a football club, rather than just a football team.

“Over the past decade, the Glazer family have provided me with the platform to manage Manchester United to the best of my ability and I have been extremely fortunate to have worked with a talented and trustworthy Chief Executive in David Gill. I am truly grateful to all of them.

“To the fans, thank you. The support you have provided over the years has been truly humbling. It has been an honour and an enormous privilege to have had the opportunity to lead your club and I have treasured my time as manager of Manchester United.”

Ferguson is the most successful manager in the history of the British game and famously won a treble in 1999.

Co-chairman Joel Glazer highlighted Ferguson’s desire to continue to produce winning teams throughout his time at United.

He said: “Alex has proven time and time again what a fantastic manager he is, but he’s also a wonderful person.

“His determination to succeed and dedication to the club have been truly remarkable.

“I will always cherish the wonderful memories he has given us, like that magical night in Moscow [when United won the Champions League].”

Fellow co-chairman Avie Glazer expressed how important the United board felt it was to ensure Ferguson continued working for the club despite his decision to step down as manager.

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“I am delighted to announce that Alex has agreed to stay with the club as a director,” he said. “His contributions to Manchester United over the last 26 years have been extraordinary and, like all United fans, I want him to be a part of its future.”

David Gill revealed Ferguson had been planning to make his succession easier by putting in place a young squad and a state of the art training facility at Carrington.

He said: “I’ve had the tremendous pleasure of working very closely with Alex for 16 unforgettable years – through the treble, the double, countless trophy wins and numerous signings.

“We knew that his retirement would come one day and we both have been planning for it by ensuring the quality of the squad and club structures are in first class condition.

“Alex’s vision, energy and ability have built teams – both on and off the pitch – that his successor can count on as among the best and most loyal in world sport.

“The way he cares for this club, his staff and for the football family in general is something that I admire. It is a side to him that is often hidden from public view but it is something that I have been privileged to witness in the last 16 years.

“What he has done for this club and for the game in general will never be forgotten. It has been the greatest experience of my working life being alongside Alex and a great honour to be able to call him a friend.”

Bookmakers have made Everton manager David Moyes odds-on favourite to take over at Old Trafford.

The Scot is out of contract in the summer at Goodison Park having delayed talks on a new deal until the end of the season.

Man United v Man City (League) – Mon 8th April [1v2 win]

What a great match at the swamp, City fans buzzing and Rags silent.

For 20 minutes before the match the City fans baited the United fans “We are the Champions”

City dominated throughout showing there the only team to come form Manchester!!!

Were the pride of Manchester!!

CTID

You signed Phil Jones, we signed Kun Aguero

City v Rags (League) – Sat 9th Dec [cnuts]

Well where do I start, I list all the names of City fans who attended the match from the North East of Scotland but it would take too long, a really great turn out – well done – pity about the score.

I’m writing this in the airport after the game and young Shay McGillviary has just had his photo taken with Mancini – nice gesture Roberto!!

Speaking of Roberto, although nobody wants to pick the team, most along with myself reckon Carlos Tevez should start every game, he is more than capable of 60 games a year

and is the teams most influential player, certainly the most consistent, and maybe serious thought should be given to this matter

While I’m whinging we might as well get rid of the Ballotelli subject – time he was dropped, not good enough for this squad and has failed to convince the fans lately – big time.

The game – I haven’t seen any percentages yet but we certainly had the majority of the play and didn’t score enough, some of our football especially in the second half was a good as we’ve played all season., Zabaleta (apart from the first goal), Tevez, Nastasic, Silva even Nasri played well but we didn’t beat what is really a poor United side and that’s important because I still think we used the wrong players to start with. I don’t even think United necessarily wanted it more than us either, they got the rub of the green and three points.

I don’t think a 6 point gap is worth mentioning at the moment and its 2 years since we last lost at home which is a great achievement in itself, hopefully the manger & the team will treat this as a wake up call and onwards & upwards in the remaining games.

Cheers

CTID

Deryck

I’d just like to say that was a great performance from the boys in blue, was so proud, the rapists were lucky!!

City v Man U (League) 30 April [1v0 win]

Kompany header seals the day

City held their nerve and completed the double over United to re-take top spot in Premier League.

Now if Roberto Mancini’s men match United in the last two games the likelihood is that they will be crowned champions for the first time in 44 years.

The points and possibly the destination of the title were decided, fittingly, by Vincent Kompany’s towering first half header.

Depending on where you do your reading this coruscating episode of neighbours was watched by between 300 and 600million sets of eyes and worth between £200 and £500million.

The mother of all derbies, the demolition derby, titanic, epic, landscape-changing, momentous, tumultuous, gripping, huge, colossal were just some of the scores of adjectives used to describe the game in the wall-to-wall build-up.

So did it live up to the hype? How could any match live up to such lofty expectations? But right now City fans don’t care.

All the ingredients were there. There was some serious retro anger and enmity in the stands, the noise levels exceeded all decent limits set by the local authority and a galaxy of stars strutted the verdant green stage as if they owned it.

But by and large neither side found the fluency, touch and killer instinct that hard earned City the best home record in the Premier League and United the best away record.

In front of the game’s great and good, the Etihad Stadium rocked like it has never done before. This was English tribalism at its most raw. Every blue and red sinew was strained in a bid to deliver the victory that the rival factions packed into the stands demanded.

Football purity was not on the invitee list to this most local of parties beamed to a global audience that may well have been bemused and amused in equal measure by the bile and the ditties echoing around the stadium and duelling for attention.

Neither manager sprang any real surprises with their starting elevens. Roberto Mancini stuck to the side that won at Wolves so resisting the temptation to bring back his blond bombshell Mario Balotelli. Instead the Italian striker who began the six-goal avalanche at Old Trafford back in October was on the bench.

Alex Ferguson, who knew a draw would be to his side’s advantage in the race for the crown, took a cautious approach. He left most of his attacking arsenal on the bench asking Wayne Rooney to carry the goal threat.

His plan worked a treat in the opening 44 minutes with United content to block avenues and sit back inviting the home side to find a way through if they could.

In truth despite the best efforts of the fans, the impressive Samir Nasri and two chances fired wide by Kun Aguero, watched by his father-in-law Diego Maradona , it was tepid stuff. Tepid, that is, until Kompany rose like the colossus he is to head home from David Silva’s right flank corner.

The second half was always going to be more open and the goal brought an improvement in City’s confidence levels and passing. United brought on Danny Welbeck and the whole game had a dollop more purpose and poise.

DeGea kicked away a Yaya Toure effort as the intensity grew. The Blues looked at their best – and the Reds at their most vulnerable – when they ran at the visitors from deep.

But Carlos Tevez ran out of steam which necessitated a change of formation with Nigel De Jong deployed to stifle United’s sudden attack intent and Toure pushed up to support Aguero.

The last ten minutes were open and angry. The managers had a less than edifying spat on the touchline but still City pressed for the second clinching goal and Toure went close with a shot from the edge of the box that skimmed the post.

Now everyone has to forget this win and concentrate on Newcastle because nothing less than two wins is likely to be good enough. No more twists please!